


Peredhel Lessons

by Azashenya



Series: Aza's Middle-Earth 'Verse [3]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-30
Updated: 2013-11-30
Packaged: 2018-01-03 01:07:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1063848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azashenya/pseuds/Azashenya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Young elves in the garden.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peredhel Lessons

An Elven lady walking through the gardens, the sunlight is glinting off her long golden hair. As she walks she reaches out to touch leaf, petal and branch, speaking softly to the plants. The language she uses is liquid, as beautiful as she is.

With her on this journey through the gardens are two young children, twin boys, identical in face and form. They still have the soft flesh of childhood but there is both a grace and a strength to them, sturdier than the ethereal grace of the Lady. They pass to and fro over her path as they run through the gardens. They stop now and again to examine the plants. One of them bites on leaves and petals to check their taste while the other is examining the form of leaf, stem and branch.

“Nana, what is this plant?” Elladan is chewing cautiously at a leaf, as if not sure if he likes the taste.

The Lady moves over to see which plant her eldest son has taken an interest in this time.

“That is sorrel Lad. It is good for adding flavour to a salad or to meat.”

“I want to plant some of this. Please Nana?”

She smiles and adds it to the list she carries. Looking over the list she isn't surprised to see that Elladan's garden will bear a strong resemblance to the kitchen herb garden.

Looking around she tries to spot her youngest son, finally seeing his boots sticking out from under a shrub. She goes over and kneels beside him.

“What are you looking for Ro?”

He wriggles far enough out of the bush to be able to look up at his Nana.

“I'm trying to see what colour the roots are. The leaves and flowers look like one of the plants in Ada's book.”

“It might be in one of your Ada's books.”

“Can I have some in my garden?”

“Very well.” The addition is made to a second list in her hands. She smiles as she notices that all of the plants Elrohir has chosen either resemble healing plants or are healing plants.

\-----------------

The boys have both planted their little gardens and go out there every day (well, nearly every day ... well ... most days) to tend them and see how they grow. But the gardens don't flourish and one day the two seek out their parents, nearly in tears.

“Nana.” “Ada.” “Our gardens,” “they aren't growing.” “They're dead.” “All the plants are dead.”

Their parents listen to their chorus, used to the way each will finish the other's sentences.

“Come, let us go see these gardens.” Their Adar rises and takes each of them by the hand. Their Naneth follows behind, restraining a smile.

Elrond is led first to Elladan's garden where the poor little plants have barely a dozen leaves between them. Celebrian kneels down by them, passing her hands over each plant as she looks at it. On one of the larger leaves there is a neat impression of a bite mark. She turns the leaf so that Elrond can see it before turning to their son.

“Elladan, you've been nibbling on your plants, haven't you?”

“Yes, Nana.” The little boy mumbles.

“You haven't left enough of the plant for it to grow. When you take food from the plants you shouldn't take more than the plant can spare.

“Yes, Nana.”

 

Elrohir's plants are stunted and wilted but they don't show any signs of over enthusiastic consumption. Celebrian frowns slightly in puzzlement and starts touching each of the plants and speaking to them softly. After a few minutes she starts pushing her fingers gently into the soil around their bases. Frowning she turns to her youngest son.

“Elrohir, why do you keep digging the plants up?”

“To see how they are growing.”

“But if you keep digging them up they won't grow.”

Elrohir looks puzzled. Elrond looks down at his son before crouching down and addressing him.

“Ro, do you remember when we were talking about how wounds heal?” Elrohir nods in answer. “Well how well do you think they would heal if we tore them open ever day to see how they were healing?”

Elrohir shakes his head. “They wouldn't heal.”

“No, they wouldn't.” Elrond smiles gently at his son. “Digging up the plants is like tearing open a wound. Every time you do it the plant has to heal the damage you do before it can keep growing.

“Oh.” The two boys look up at their parents with big shocked eyes.

“We've been bad.” Whispers Elrohir.

“You didn't know.” Their Naneth says gently as she pulls them into an embrace. “But now that you do know you won't do it again, will you?” The two boys shake their heads in agreement as their Adar puts his arms around all three of them.

*~*

Many years have passed and the Lady again walks through the gardens. This time she is accompanied by a single girl child. A dancing creature with long wild dark hair and sparkling grey eyes. As she dances through the bushes she sings to the plants and pauses to smell flowers or to brush her cheek against leaf or petal. And she chooses the types of plants for her little garden.

Remembering her sons' gardens Celebrian watches her daughter with hers, standing far enough away not to disturb the child. She smiles as she watches Arwen sitting with her head bowed forward, her loose hair nearly touching the plants. The little girl sings to the plants, touching them with gentle fingers. Sometimes she would pour some water on them, or move a little shade screen she had asked for, or add any number of different things to the soil. And in gratitude for her careful attention the plants grew swiftly and well. Their scent and shapes pleasing to behold.

It was not long before Celebrian invited her daughter to join her in the larger garden. Many days over the centuries they worked there together, dark head and golden bent over the plants they both loved.


End file.
